Spinning Up the Future

In Spring 2026, Futures Grants finalists take the stage to pitch pilot projects that put The Centrifuge mission into action. 

Event Highlights

Live Pitches: Watch teams present bold projects driven by multidisciplinary solution-finding.

Expert Panel: Academic, community, and industry leaders evaluate each pitch on creativity, feasibility, and potential for impact, offering real-time feedback in a venture-style format. 

Keynote Speaker: Hear from a leading futurist on how universities can harness emerging technologies and an entrepreneurial mindset to navigate rapid change and drive meaningful impact.

Awards Announced: The panel spotlights winning projects and explains what makes them compelling.

Build Your Network: Connect with collaborators, funders, and partners throughout the day. UVA Innovates hosts workshops on turning ideas into action. Enterprise Studio consultants advise faculty, research staff, and graduate researchers seeking to commercialize their ideas, while student creators consult with mentors from The Foundry.

Full schedule and speaker lineup announced in early 2026. 

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